Interleukin-1 gene polymorphisms and toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
OBJECTIVE
It has been proposed that cytokine gene polymorphisms can predispose individuals to disease by enhancing inflammatory processes. Considering the relevance of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in the pathogenesis of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TR), we investigated whether IL1A -889 C/T and IL1B +3954C/T promoter polymorphisms are associated with TR in humans.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study that involved 100 Brazilian TR patients and 100 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Genomic DNA was obtained from oral swabs of all participants and amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers flanking the locus -889 of IL1A and +3954 of IL1B. PCR products were submitted to digestion and analyzed by PAGE to distinguish C and T alleles.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in the genotype or allele distributions of the IL1A -889 C/T and IL1B +3954C/T polymorphisms in patients with TR when compared with controls. However, in a subgroup analysis, the frequency of genotype and allele distributions of IL1A -889 C/T differed significantly between TR patients with and without recurrent episodes.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the genotypes related with a high production of IL-1a may be associated with the recurrence of TR.
Cordeiro
Cynthia A
CA
Uveitis Section, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. cordeiro.cy@gmail.com
Moreira
Paula R
PR
Costa
Germano C
GC
Dutra
Walderez O
WO
Campos
Wesley R
WR
Oréfice
Fernando
F
Teixeira
Antônio L
AL
D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002825:Chorioretinitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D053582:Interleukin-1alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014126:Toxoplasmosis, Ocular / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*
D053582:Interleukin-1alpha; D053583:Interleukin-1beta